STAGE 1 FOUNDATIONS

Theme: Pirate rescue

Overview of the students’ learning:

Knowledge

❏ a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066❏ geography of the the Caribbean sea, islands and Central America❏ emergence and importance of European colonialism in The New World in the 17th century❏ how privateering became a low cost war against the Spanish for Britain❏ how sailors lived and worked in the 17th century

Skills

❏ ask questions❏ think critically❏ work collaboratively ❏ develop judgements

Understanding

❏ How Britain and Spain fought over colonies in the New World and therefore controlled different islands and coasts

❏ How huge wealth was generated by trade with local native indians and other settlers. Moreover how this wealth was stolen by professional pirates known as privateers who were given direct orders to do so by their governments through letters of marque

❏ How British privateering became huge business, resulting in the rapid growth of its base in Port Royal, Jamaica. The colony became known for its gaudy displays of wealth and debauchery and the centre of all piracy at that time.

❏ How privateering was regarded as an honourable calling, covered in prestige while piracy was viewed with international disdain as an illegal and immoral activity.

Things that make the theme interesting

For the students

❏ The life of a pirate❏ The pirates’ ship ❏ The journeys they made❏ The weapons and equipment they used❏ The daring raids they undertook❏ The wealth they made

For the teacher

❏ All of the above and….❏ The role and reputation of Port Royal❏ The roles governments played in privateering❏ Whether privateering was “legalised” piracy❏ The difference between pirates and buccaneers❏ How Henry Morgan became wealthy and eventually the governor of Jamaica❏ The conditions faced by the buccaneers up the Chagres river

Questions for inquiry

Social What was life like in Port Royal and on a privateer’s ship?

Political How much money was the British Government making from privateering?

Environmental How did the jungle conditions affect the buccaneers on their raid to Panama City?

Ethical Is privateering ethically right? Should Morgan have been made the Governor of Jamaica?

STAGE 2 CONTEXT

Tension

Level 1 - danger named but not controllable - the jungle of the isthmus, mosquitoes, crocodiles, indians, heat

Level 2 - dangers known in advance, expected and planned for - the fortifications of Panama City, the Spanish defenders

Level 3 - duty in the face of distraction - Situations that daunt - buccaneers dying one by one from starvation, disease and indian attack

Level 4 - Herculean tasks - navigation of the journey, overland through dense jungle - attacking Panama City with depleted forces, in poor condition

Level 5 - dangers from guile, untruths - reports from the Spanish that Panama City could not be captured as it was on the Pacific coast therefore requiring navigation around Cape Horn

Level 6 - pressures from stupidity - the notion that crossing the isthmus overland was possible, not enough food taken

Level 7 - pressures from limitations of time - rumours abounded that the King CharlesⅡ was about to sign the Treaty of Madrid, a pact with Spain that revoked all letters of marque before the raid on Panama City had taken place. The raid had to be completed before this agreement had been sealed.

Level 8 - pressures from illness and vulnerability - buccaneers falling ill and dying in the jungle

Level 9 - breakdown in relations - buccaneers become restless and weary with the never ending slog through the jungle. Some feel disgruntled by the amount of treasure they actually receive each, believing there would be more - the fear of mutiny is always prevalent

Location

Port Royal, JamaicaThe Caribbean SeaThe jungle covered Isthmus of PanamaThe River ChagresPanama City

Expert Team

The biggest, baddest gang of cutthroat pirates and buccaneers the Spanish Main had ever scene. Gleaned from British, Dutch and French soldiers of fortune. Experts in seamanship, navigation and warfare.

Client and Commission

King Charles Ⅱ (client) commissions the governor of Jamaica, Thomas Modyford, to hire a crew worthy of sailing to Chagres and then up the river to Old Panama City. The commission is twofold. Firstly, these men will need to sack and plunder Panama City and bring back to Port Royal as much

treasure as possible. Secondly, and most importantly, the mission will only be a true success should the army locate and return an unidentified white British man in his thirties who is being held captive by the Spanish. His identity will be kept secret as he is of the utmost importance and value to the Crown.

Points of View

In the fiction - The client (King Charles Ⅱ), The Governor of Jamaica (Thomas Modyford), the pirates and buccaneers, the Spanish, the publicans, innkeepers and shopkeepers of Port Royal, Jamaica, The Royal Navy

Out of the fiction - the students views on privateering v piracy or legalised acts of nautical terrorism. The students views of a romanticised modern day notion of pirates v the reality of piracy in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries

STAGE 3 ACTIVITIES AND CURRICULUM TASKS

DIVISION CATEGORY AND TASK

ACTIVITY AND PURPOSE CURRICULUM

Material resources Maps

Phrasebook

Students create maps of the routes calculating distances and timings

To be able to speak with their enemy if necessary

Geography/Maths

MFL

Interactions about those inside the fiction

Proposal of service

List of provisions

Diary extract

Letter of grievance

Students write a proposal of service ie why, as buccaneers, they should be suitable for this mission - what special qualities do they have? What makes them stand out?

Students list which provisions to take and why

Students write about their ordeal crossing the isthmus and their attack on Panama city

Students write a letter to Thomas Modyford complaining they didn’t receive enough money for their work. They give reasons why they should be worth more.

History/English

English

English

Outside the fiction Balanced argument Students write a balanced argument discussing whether privateering is piracy by another name.

English/ History

STAGE 4 - THE START

Strategy for dramatic inquiry

Question - Pirates operated in many different ways? How do you think they went about their business?

Allow pupils in pairs to make a list.

Into the fiction: Thomas Modyford (Governor of British Jamaica and operator on behalf of the client) stares at his letter, reading it carefully and silently. The letter is read aloud by King Charles (the client). Students listen.

Out of the fiction: What could that letter be about? Who were those characters? Hand ot copies of the letter to the students who can mark it, highlighting key words and phrases. Students are told they will have the chance to quiz the character (Thomas Modyford) about who he is, what the letter is about and his connection with the King. Through this inquiry, they build up an idea of the storyline of the fiction.

Back into the fiction: Pupils ask questions to Modyford. Modyford begins to reveal his identity, the King’s, the reason the British are in Jamaica and the importance of The Spanish Main.

Possible Questions Possible answers

Who are you? My name is Thomas Modyford

How old are you? I am 50 years old

What do you do? I have been the Governor of His Majesty's Island of Jamaica Commander-in-Chief of all His Majesties Forces within the island since 1664, so that’s for 6 years. Before that I was Governor of Barbados, which is another British island in the Caribbean.

Did you write the letter? No, I received it from His Majesty, King Charles of England only this morning.

Do you work for him? Yes. As Governor of a Commonwealth island like Jamaica, I fall under his majesty’s authority. I am answerable directly to him. My responsibility is to protect the island while generating wealth for the Commonwealth and England.

What is a letter of marque? It is a letter directly from the king which authorises myself to order certain operations against enemies of the Crown, in this instance The Spanish.

Why are they your enemy? The British and Spanish have jostled for control of the Caribbean for decades now. Around these

island there is much trade to be done and wealth to be made. They are not so much enemies, we are not at war, but opponents in a giant game of colonial chess. We keep each other in check, while at the same time, looking after our own interests.

What does he want you to do? It seems his majesty would like me to assemble a crew to rescue a British individual, thought to be held captive in the Spanish city of Panama. I am also instructed to seize as much treasure as possible from the city. It is a long voyage fraught with many dangers and I will need sailors who are experienced, skilled and brave. My thoughts are to hire a crack team of buccaneers, special pirates of the Caribbean to carry out this raid.

Are you then a pirate? No. I am the Governor of Jamaica. I do however, employ and hire certain “privateers” to carry out my duties in the name of the King.

Out of the fiction - spend some time clarifying the story and situation.

What if you were the buccaneers for this daring raid on Panama? What skills would you need?

TASK 1

Hand out copies of the WANTED POSTER which details of the voyage and raid. Pupils study this in pairs. They look at the map of the Caribbean and The Chagres river.

Teacher: OK. Have a look at these documents. You are now an experienced buccaneer who knows these waters well. You have been tasked to write an application letter for the voyage to Panama. What is it important to state or list? Pupils draft letters.

Back in the fiction. - King sits at table while Modyford reads letter. King narrates while writing the letter.

King: it has been reported that large numbers of Spanish galleons have recently been sighted sailing off the coasts of Venezuela and Caribbean Panama. These ships have been aggressive towards other naval craft and have opened fire using cannon without warning. It is thought that they are carrying such hoards of treasure that they dare not be approached by any vessel for fear of being captured by privateers.

Please ensure that all applicants for your important voyage to Panama are able to know how to fire a cannon in the event of engagement with Spanish galleons. British registered vessels sailing out of Port Royal have been sunk in the last 6 weeks as crew members have been unsure of how to arm and fire their pieces.

HRH Charles.

Out of the fiction - Is this important to your application? Here is a document detailing how to fire a cannon.

TASK 2

Into the fiction Pupils read the document and in a team (6 max) they rehearse how to fire a canon.

They will need to demonstrate they can do this effectively, twice as a team, in order to be selected for the voyage to Panama.

TASK 3

Modyford (sitting at a desk, writing a letter). Sire, your Royal Highness. I have selected the men for the missions and am encouraged to report they they are in fine condition, each with attributes which will be useful to us.

Our plan is to sail for the Caribbean coast of Panama. We will weigh anchor off the mouth of The Chagres river. Then, we will disembark into canoes holding 10 buccaneers each, and navigate the 80km upstream toward our target of Panama City. By paddling up the river in canoes, we hope to take the enemy by surprise. No man would consider attacking Panama City from the east, crossing dense jungle and coming upstream. The journey is almost viewed as impossible. However, I have the utmost confidence in the crew I have selected and believe that they will be only successful. To assist these pirates with the journey, I will ask them to create and publish a field guide which will outline various dangers and problems they will encounter as well as the solutions to these. The best publication will be chosen as the official guide which every pirate must carry on their person for reference along the mission.

Yours Modyford

Children are then given the task of producing the field guide. They are given the following prompt sheets - one and two. Chatting in groups and drafting ideas on a large piece of sugar paper. They then write their guides individually. The guide must include the following chapters

1) How to overcome the problems given2) A list of basic items for each canoe - maximum of 63) 5 essential phrases in spanish

TASK 4

Show children the original painting again. Tell children that they are going to move into the fiction again to recreate the scene of the painting. Explain that the scene we are going to create will represent a scene from after the sacking of Panama, the stealing of the treasure and the rescuing of the secret hostage. Once in the scene, children will be able to ask questions to the central character

sitting, about who he is and his role in the story.

Organise the arrangement of the scene - following the original as closely as possible.

Then role play this script in the fiction

Cortez: So, at last you have what your men came for. Do with me what you please but do not harm my daughters.

Morgan: Cortez, you have my word that they will not be harmed. Despite being imprisoned myself, I am a man of honour and my word is true. A buccaneer has no need for hostages; it is just the treasure we are interested in.

Cortez: Captain. All that we have, we have given to you. There is no more to take. You will not find any more throughout the whole of Panama City.

Morgan: Damn you Cortez! My employer will not be satisfied by the amount of booty I will return with to Jamaica and these men will be disappointed with their rewards - you however, are no use to me any more - take him away!

(Cortez is taken away by two pirates).

Out of the fiction.

So what have we learned from this scene? Who are the two characters? What has happened? - draw out other relevant points

Re-arrange the tableau - Into the fiction

Morgan: So buccaneers, in a few days we set sail for Jamaica. But here’s the rub. No way back is easy. We have two choices. Either we commandeer the Spanish galleons here in Panama harbour and sail south, round the fearsome Cape Horn where waves and tide can rip ships apart before sailing north, up the coast …... or we can retrace the steps you made, back through the jungle, part overland and part in canoe, no doubt fraught with multiples dangers as you yourselves know very well…...and meet with your ships, which are still anchored in the bay just off the mouth of the Chagres river.

Either way, as your new Captain of this return, I’ll need maps drawn of both routes. For expert seamen as yourselves, this should be an easy task. Upon studying your detailed maps, I’ll decide which route we should take. Both maps should show as much detail as possible - naming countries, Spanish Territory, oceans and seas, islands, dangers at certain points should be clearly marked so that we may take action required to avoid it. However, the most important item to be shown on these maps is any trade routes sailed by Spanish ships, after all buccaneers, it would be a shame

not to add to our pitiful haul, remember……...the more we can plunder and steal, the bigger the share of the treasure you can all receive.

TASK 5

Present buccaneers with the payment letter from Modyford. Discuss what they should do. Buccaneers then write a letter of complaint and show Modyford how much they are worth. They should break down their worth into skills, assigning a value in doubloons to each skill.